MAN UTD 3, LEICESTER CITY 0
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s spell as Manchester United’s interim head coach ended with the Reds unbeaten following their emphatic home win against Leicester City.
Three wins and a draw from four matches gave the Dutchman a 75 per cent win percentage, the highest achieved by any manager.
As van Nistelrooy celebrated in front of the Stretford End, you sensed it may well have been a farewell salute with new head coach Ruben Amorim due to arrive tomorrow.
“It was a beautiful moment to share with the supporters. It was a special moment,” he said.
Goals from captain Bruno Fernandes, a player revitalized under van Nistelrooy, own goal from Victor Kristiansen and spectacular strike from Alejandro Garnacho gave the Reds a victory which lifts them one place to 13th.
Van Nistelrooy has certainly galvanized the playing squad after Erik ten Hag’s sacking and remains a cult figure among the fans in light of his goalscoring exploits for the club.
Fernandes spoke about the interim head coach, saying: “Ruud van Nistelrooy feels the club, he loves the club, he wants to bring joy to the players.
“He brought everyone with a smile to the games, he just wanted us to enjoy it. We wanted to say goodbye as a manager for him properly because he did good things for us.
“It’s a new era, a new manager means everything changes but what hasn’t changed is that this club has to get back to where it belongs.”
Van Nistelrooy said: “It was professional, you could see that players were fighting through the game. We scored two great goals and there were some good bits, but we didn’t have real control of the game.
“It was an important three points. In the four games Bruno scored some important goals, assisting too so he is back producing. That’s the Bruno that is helping the team the most.
“I spoke to Alejandro Garnacho before the game, he has played a lot of minutes, and I wanted him to make an impact off the bench and I’m glad it worked out. We said let’s make the most of these four games, get the maximum out of it and I think we did an okay job.
“I really enjoyed it. It’s been a short but amazing period. We are in an uncertain position, but we tried to do our jobs and help the club which is important.
“There are a lot of feelings there, the way the fans supported me and the team always in difficult moments it was a special moment. To close down this block of games with good results and a good connection, I can’t thank them enough.
“We will learn what the further plan is now.”
Van Nistelrooy added: “You saw the class of the team in our goals, we also gave very little away.
“We tried to stabilise after a difficult and emotional period. We wanted to get players performing at their best, we got the right feeling to them and got them believing in themselves.
“This spell was a big responsibility. I took it very seriously. I wanted to help and get United into a better place, that was my goal. With three wins and a draw it’s a standard where you want to grow to as a club.
“The connection with the fans was there, I really felt it. This is what United is really about.”
Leicester manager Steve Cooper said: “The result will paint the picture, but in the end we didn’t show enough desire in either penalty area. We let two unopposed shots from outside the area for the goals.
“Two of the goals have come from our corners as well which is frustrating. It wasn’t a dangerous position, but we made it dangerous. At the other end we got into good areas but didn’t show that same desire.
“Our general play was fine but in the end we didn’t have the purpose. We had good spells, we were in the game, it didn’t feel like they were going to score the next goal.
“We can’t just say we missed Jamie Vardy, we can’t be reliant on that.
Embed from Getty Images“It was a fairly even game in general play but in decisive moments we didn’t defend well enough. We had good phases in the game, but you have to be productive at both ends of the pitch. We weren’t the threat we are capable of being, we fell short.”
Cooper revealed Vardy has a back injury, but Ricardo Pereira is out for up to four months.
Van Nistelrooy made one change from the side which drew with Chelsea as Amad Diallo came into the line-up to replace Garnacho. There was no place on the bench for Luke Shaw after he returned to training.
Leicester made three changes from the team which drew at Ipswich. Super-sub Jordan Ayew came in along with James Justin and Boubakary Soumare. The injured Vardy, Stephy Mavididi and Ricardo Pereira stepped down.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe appeared on the pitch pre-match to make a presentation to Fernandes to mark his 250th appearance today for the Reds.
And Fernandes marked his landmark with a 17th minute goal to put United ahead.
Amad provided the assist with a clever back heel from Noussair Mazraoui’s throw in to release Fernandes who fired a shot from the edge of the box low to the left of keeper Mads Hermansen.
It was Fernandes’ fourth goal in four appearances under van Nistelrooy – he failed to find the net under ten Hag this season.
And it almost became five for Fernandes when he helped United double their advantage in the 38th minute.
Mazraoui provided a cross from the left and Fernandes’ header flew into the net, albeit with the aid of a deflection off Kristiansen who was credited with an own goal.
United almost added a third goal in stoppage time when Amad’s effort, after a jinking run, was well saved by Hermansen.
Van Nistelrooy made a double change in the 57th minute as Diogo Dalot and the ineffective Rashford were replaced by Jonny Evans and Garnacho.
Andre Onana was summoned to make a rare save as he deflected Jordan Ayew’s shot into the side netting.
There was another change when Hojlund was replaced by Joshua Zirkzee with 15 minutes left, quickly followed by another as Casemiro made way for Christian Eriksen.
United added a third goal with eight minutes remaining, a stunner from Garnacho.
Fernandes forged forward and released Garnacho who cut in from the left before bending a shot high into the far corner from outside the box.